The Bible instructs us to “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” This scripture addresses the Biblical principle of asking and receiving. What it means is that as we ask we get, and if we do not ask, we do not get. Our only requirement is to ask in Jesus name.
Most often, it is out of our need that we ask for something. The good news is that we have a God who knows our needs before we do. In Philippians 4:19 the Scripture says; “But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Here we are talking about an all powerful, all knowing and ever present God acting on our behalf, to supply our needs. For the person in need, this is not only good, but this is healing news.
As we ask we get. If we do not ask, we do not get!
Believe When You Ask
When we ask someone for something, we believe that this person is able to provide what we ask for. When someone offers us something, it is out of their capacity to fulfill this offer that they make it. What this means is that it is often better to be offered something than to ask for it. This is true, especially when we are dealing with God.
The first great offering that took place was God offering man His very breath, and then He offered up Himself as a ransom for many. Furthermore, God has offered us His promises, that the Bible says are Yes, and in Him Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20 ).
God’s promise is vested in the fact that ;
- God cannot lie
- God can do anything and is abundantly rich.
That’s why the promise of God “Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door shall be opened unto you,” is such a big deal to the one who walks with HIM(God). We must believe that God is true and faithful to His words, and as a result we must ‘Ask’ and ‘Knock’ with the bold confidence that it is certain for us to receive.
It is very important for us to ask in the right way.
Whenever God specifically asks us to do something, I believe this thing is of utmost importance. Consider John 16:24, when Jesus said to His disciples;
"Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete
Here we see that not only is Jesus instructing us to ask, but He also emphasized the correlation between asking and our Joy. As we ask, we get, and as we get we find Joy. This solidifies that fact that it is very important for us to ask, because our very joy is dependent upon it.
When God teaches us to do something, it means there is a right and a wrong way to do it. A man will forfeit on his promise, but the promises of God are ‘Yes’, and in Him ‘Amen’. This means that the promises of God are secured within Himself. With this assurance of His promise, we can freely ask, but in order for us to receive what we ask for, we must believe it to be true.
Let us look at what the Bible says about asking in faith;
And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Note here the absolute term that Jesus used as He conversed with His disciples. Jesus said “All things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” This means that if you ask for something, and you haven’t received it, something must have gone wrong.
So often we enroll in the repetitive one way conversation of asking, asking and asking, while forgetting that without faith it is impossible to please God. However, if as we asked, we believed and trusted God, then we could find calm instead of chaos and peace instead of pressure.
There is no middle grounds on whether or not these words are true “Ask and it shall be given.” We can either say Jesus was a great liar and a lunatic, or we can believe these words and live by them. If you don’t believe the truth, it doesn’t make it a lie, and if you believe a lie it doesn’t make it true. If you choose to believe the truth, then as the scripture says, ‘The Truth will set you free.’
You Do Not Have Because You Do Not Ask
Imagine Jesus saying these words to His disciples, and consider what they must have been thinking. Maybe they were wondering why He was saying these words. I perceive that they might have also been wondering if they were asking wrong. Others might have also been planning what they would have asked for.
None of these questions mattered because the wonderful thing is that Jesus instructed them to ask. I believe that the most important part of this verse is the part where Jesus said “you have not asked anything in my name.” There are so many names the disciples may have been asking in, but Jesus specifically said “In My name.”
ASK = RECEIVE + JOY
To ask is to receive and have joy. Our joy is dependent on us asking for the things we need. It also means that our ability to ‘get’ is based on our ability to ‘ask’. This magnifies the importance of asking for what we need. Our very joy is dependent on it.
For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Receiving requires patience and faith
The Bible says that without faith it is impossible for us to please God. When I speak about faith as a requisite for receiving, I speak about having to wait on the thing we ask for. If as we ask we receive, then we won’t need much patience or faith, but most often this is not the case.
When we ask God for something, it is through faith that we instantly receive what we ask for. This is because faith bridges the gap between the physical and the spiritual, or to put it more simply, faith connects the physical with the spiritual worlds. Our faith is the evidence we have that we have received what we asked for. It is faith in the fact that God is faithful concerning His promises and that God is true.
In the Book of James (James 1: 6- 8) the Bible explains;
6. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8. he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Here James is speaking about the man who is not faithful when he asks of the Lord. This person, according to James, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord. On the contrary, when we ask in faith, we not only receive what we ask for, but we also will receive the Joy of the Lord that gives us strength. This, my friends is the great miracle that happens when we ask of the Lord in faith.
Scriptures that instruct us to ask
And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Conclusion
It is a powerful principle to ask and receive. Asking not only opens up the door to the things we petition for, but it also amplifies our Joy. It is a joyful experience when we ask and receive knowing that we have received from the hands of God. May you find the faith to ask and receive. Be Blessed!
